Dr. Oz on Hand Sanitizer and Washing: “It’s the Same Thing…”

In a recent interview on New Jersey news radio station NJ 101.5, Dr. Oz answered the question that we all ask, particularly during a prolific flue season like this one: "Are hand sanitizer and washing hands equally effective?" Guess what.

"It's the same thing ... when it comes to the virus."

Oz went on to say that washing hands with soap and water is roughly equivalent to using hand sanitizer and they are interchangeable (although the sanitizer does have a tendency to dry your skin out, so you may need a moisturizer).

The TV host and health expert emphasized that we seem to have a need to touch our own faces.

"Here's the catch. Most people will touch their face 5 to 15 times an hour. You should keep your fingers out of your eyes and out of your mouth, which are the mucous membranes where the virus goes from your fingertip into your body."

Are you doomed? Probably not. Oz simply says that with all that in mind, do something to keep your hands clean.

Watch the full interview below where Dr. Oz outlines a few other common habits that make us susceptible to catching the flu.